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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. shower — rain
  8. staff — employees
  9. shower — to wash
  10. suit — to fit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lie — to recline
  18. kid — to tease
  19. chip — for betting
  20. kid — child
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. lie — an untruth

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