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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 124 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. kid — to tease
  7. deal — to handle
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. snap — to click
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. kid — child
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. sharp — clever
  24. deal — a big deal

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