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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. kid — to tease
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kid — child
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. present — there
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. squash — the sport

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