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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. kid — to tease
  5. track — a path
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — a song
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. track — to keep track
  17. season — in sport
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rush — hurry
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kid — child
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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