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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. object — an aim
  3. bore — to drill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. object — to protest
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. object — a thing
  8. bore — to tire
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. kid — child
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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