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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 124 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. object — a thing
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kid — child
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kid — to tease
  9. object — an aim
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. row — to paddle
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mate — a friend
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mate — to breed
  19. object — to protest
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mate — a partner
  22. current — happening now
  23. suit — clothes
  24. row — a line

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