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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mark — a grade
  3. land — to come down
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. land — ground
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. land — a country
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — to bend
  23. kid — child
  24. lean — thin

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