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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. rest — a break
  12. fine — all right
  13. mug — a face
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mug — to rob
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cue — a signal
  20. court — of law
  21. cue — a hint
  22. kid — child
  23. content — happy
  24. fine — high quality

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