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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 120 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rule — a law
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stock — shares
  7. kid — to tease
  8. rule — government
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kid — child
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stock — goods
  22. squash — the sport
  23. hand — help
  24. calf — of the leg

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