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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 116 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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. track — to keep track
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. track — a path
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. kid — to tease
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. track — a song
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. coach — a trainer

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