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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. club — for golf
  3. tube — a container
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — to trim
  7. kid — child
  8. club — for dancing
  9. staff — employees
  10. tube — the underground
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — a stick
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. can — to be able to
  20. club — a group
  21. can — a tin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. can — a tin

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