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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. wound — an injury
  7. craft — boats
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. kid — child
  16. craft — a skill
  17. object — to protest
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. object — a thing
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. kid — to tease
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wound — an injury

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