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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chip — to eat
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. snap — to click
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pit — in a race
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. kid — child
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — to handle

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