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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. object — an aim
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. court — for sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. pound — a weight
  9. court — of a king
  10. can — a tin
  11. plane — a tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. object — to protest
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bat — the animal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. court — of law
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. object — a thing
  24. kid — to tease

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