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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. press — newspapers
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. kid — child
  11. bat — the animal
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. press — a publisher
  21. key — the most important part
  22. press — to push
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — part of the body

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