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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was 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. mate — a partner
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — a thing
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bank — for money
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. object — an aim
  24. kid — child

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