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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 116 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. board — a committee
  3. bore — to drill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. kid — child
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. content — happy
  10. chair — a leader
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bore — to tire
  15. deal — to handle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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