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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rest — a break
  3. cell — in biology
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. kid — to tease
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kid — child
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mug — a face
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cell — a phone

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