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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. charge — in control
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — a price
  7. drill — army training
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. kid — child
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — all right
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rash — a series
  18. charge — electricity
  19. drill — the tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rash — hasty
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. drill — a practice
  24. calf — a young 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