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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. spring — a coil
  4. firm — a company
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. firm — decided
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. spring — of water
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. band — a ring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. toast — bread
  14. kid — child
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. kid — to tease
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. bark — to shout
  21. spring — the season
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. firm — steady
  24. ruler — for measuring

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