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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. present — the time now
  4. object — a thing
  5. land — to come down
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. land — ground
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. object — an aim
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. object — to protest
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. present — a gift
  15. kick — in football
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — there
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — a safe
  20. kid — child
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. land — a country
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. lie — an untruth

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