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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. kid — child
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bound — tied together
  10. kid — to tease
  11. rest — a break
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bound — certain
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. current — happening now
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. current — of water
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mine — for digging

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