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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pass — a permit
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. kid — child
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. chair — a leader
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. field — a subject
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. club — for dancing
  19. kid — to tease
  20. field — for sport
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. field — farmland

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