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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. vault — a safe
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. track — a path
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — a song
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kid — child
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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