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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. cue — for pool
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — a hat
  7. charge — in control
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fall — to drop
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fall — to drop
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. kid — to tease
  15. fall — the season
  16. cap — a lid
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — a hint
  19. charge — electricity
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. charge — a price
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cue — a signal

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