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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — ground
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. kid — to tease
  18. land — to come down
  19. kid — child
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rest — a break
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. land — a country
  24. suit — clothes

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