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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. suit — in cards
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spell — letters
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cap — a lid
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spell — magic
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. kid — child
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cap — a hat
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pitcher — a jug

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