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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. object — to protest
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kid — child
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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