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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ground — crushed
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kid — to tease
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ground — a position
  11. rule — government
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rule — a law
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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