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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. press — to push
  4. bat — the animal
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. kid — child
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rush — hurry

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