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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 120 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. suit — clothes
  3. deal — to handle
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. file — a tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. file — a document
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kid — child
  18. bore — to tire
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bore — to drill
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chair — a leader

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