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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 124 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. kid — child
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pop — music
  11. object — an aim
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mate — a partner
  18. object — a thing
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. object — to protest
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pit — a hole

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