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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. kid — child
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hand — in cards
  11. can — a tin
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fine — all right
  14. kid — to tease
  15. game — a match
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. can — to be able to
  24. jam — a tight spot

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