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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. kid — to tease
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — hurry
  10. suit — in cards
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kid — child
  19. ground — a position
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lie — to recline
  24. suit — clothes

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