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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bore — to tire
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cell — in biology
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. tear — to rip
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kid — child
  17. cell — a phone
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. tear — from crying
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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