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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. band — a music group
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. kid — child
  5. wake — a trail
  6. swing — in golf
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mark — a grade
  13. band — a ring
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. swing — music
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. swing — to play on
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rock — a stone
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mark — to pay attention

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