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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kid — child
  5. wound — an injury
  6. root — of a word
  7. pit — a hole
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. wound — an injury
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kid — to tease
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. root — the cause
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — the animal

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