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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. craft — boats
  7. firm — a company
  8. mark — a trace
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. craft — a skill
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lean — to bend
  17. band — a ring
  18. firm — decided
  19. band — a music group
  20. deal — to handle
  21. kid — child
  22. firm — steady
  23. lean — thin
  24. kid — to tease

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