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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. kid — to tease
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — to protest
  9. mate — to breed
  10. object — an aim
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. object — a thing
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. key — in music
  16. content — the amount
  17. toast — bread
  18. bank — of a river
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — the most important part
  22. content — happy
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. kid — child

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