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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. pitch — completely
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. can — a tin
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. race — a contest
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. firm — decided
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. race — the arms race
  15. firm — a company
  16. mate — to breed
  17. kid — to tease
  18. can — a tin
  19. mate — a friend
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — humankind
  23. mate — a partner
  24. firm — steady

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