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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. kid — to tease
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fork — in a road
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. kid — child
  12. board — a committee
  13. wax — to grow
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a great time
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. board — to get on

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