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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bound — tied together
  6. kid — to tease
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. toast — bread
  15. bat — the animal
  16. kid — child
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bear — to put up with

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