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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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pass — a permit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. kid — to tease
  5. race — humankind
  6. bank — for money
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. race — a contest
  13. deal — to handle
  14. kid — child
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. race — the arms race
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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