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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 124 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lie — to recline
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bulb — for light
  18. row — a line
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. row — to paddle
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. kid — child
  24. nail — for a hammer

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