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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ground — a position
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. kid — child
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lie — to recline

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