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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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rest — a break
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cue — for pool
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. dip — to sink
  10. kid — child
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. staff — a stick
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. kid — to tease
  17. current — electric
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. current — of water
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cue — a hint
  22. current — happening now
  23. cue — a signal
  24. staff — employees

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