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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ground — a position
  9. firm — steady
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. firm — decided
  15. tube — the underground
  16. firm — a company
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ground — the earth
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rush — hurry
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. tube — a container
  23. kid — to tease
  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