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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. tear — from crying
  5. key — in music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. key — for a lock
  9. root — of a plant
  10. club — a group
  11. root — of a word
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tear — from crying
  18. root — the cause
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — clever
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. kid — child
  23. tear — to rip
  24. club — for golf

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