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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. present — there
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — the time now
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — a gift
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fork — to eat with

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