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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. root — of a plant
  3. net — in sport
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. root — the cause
  11. net — after costs
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. net — for catching
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. club — a group
  17. kid — child
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. pit — a hole
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. root — of a word

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