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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. race — a contest
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. present — the time now
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kid — to tease
  13. race — humankind
  14. craft — boats
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — a gift
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. race — the arms race
  21. present — there
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. kid — child

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