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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stock — shares
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. kid — child
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — goods
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bat — the animal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kid — to tease
  24. suit — in cards

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