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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. kid — child
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kid — to tease
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rule — a law
  17. stock — shares
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rule — government
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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