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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 120 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wound — an injury
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wound — an injury
  10. object — to protest
  11. squash — the sport
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cue — for pool
  20. object — a thing
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a signal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. object — an aim

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