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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. drill — army training
  3. kid — child
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wind — moving air
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fine — all right
  13. key — in music
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. kid — to tease
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bear — 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