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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. suit — to fit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. drill — a practice
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. lean — to bend
  9. kid — child
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lean — thin
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — to confront
  17. kid — to tease
  18. suit — clothes
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. root — the cause
  22. face — to point toward
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. drill — army training

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