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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. lean — to bend
  3. firm — a company
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lean — thin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fine — all right
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kid — child
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — decided
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. firm — steady
  24. fine — high quality

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