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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kid — child
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a partner
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — a cake
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. roll — a list
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mate — a friend
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mate — to breed
  21. kid — to tease
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bound — obliged

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