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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fine — all right
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. saw — the tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. suit — in cards
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rush — hurry
  15. kick — in football
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. kid — to tease
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — for sculpting

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