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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. firm — a company
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lean — thin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. firm — steady
  9. key — in music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. kid — child
  16. lean — to bend
  17. kid — to tease
  18. race — humankind
  19. pit — a hole
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pit — in a race
  22. key — the most important part
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com