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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kid — to tease
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — a group

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