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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kid — to tease
  5. lean — to bend
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — thin
  13. hand — help
  14. kid — child
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. game — wild animals
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. game — a match
  24. stand — to bear

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