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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — to handle
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. bore — to tire
  8. staff — employees
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bore — to drill
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. squash — the sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. staff — a stick
  18. saw — the tool
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bore — gave birth

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