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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. press — newspapers
  3. deal — to handle
  4. press — a publisher
  5. degree — an amount
  6. prune — to trim
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. kid — to tease
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. degree — from a university
  11. press — to push
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. degree — temperature
  15. suit — clothes
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kid — child
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. tube — the underground
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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