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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 120 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. firm — decided
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. charge — a price
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ground — the earth
  14. charge — electricity
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. firm — a company
  18. ground — crushed
  19. kid — child
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ground — a position
  22. charge — in control
  23. craft — boats
  24. bore — to tire

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