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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. club — for dancing
  5. object — a thing
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — an aim
  10. club — a group
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rock — music
  13. club — for golf
  14. kid — to tease
  15. object — to protest
  16. swing — in golf
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. swing — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. kid — child

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