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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. kid — child
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rest — a break
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bat — the animal
  20. root — of a word
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — the cause
  23. hand — help
  24. leaves — to go away

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