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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bulb — for light
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hand — help
  12. suit — in cards
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — clothes
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. current — electric
  18. kid — to tease
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. current — of water
  22. kid — child
  23. game — wild animals
  24. hand — part of the body

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