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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 116 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. kid — child
  6. rush — hurry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — in a race
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bark — to shout
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rush — to hurry

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