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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. tube — a container
  11. dip — to sink
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pop — music
  22. suit — to fit
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. march — music

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