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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — in cards
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mark — a trace
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fine — all right
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. press — a publisher
  12. kid — child
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hand — help
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mark — to pay attention

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