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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. court — for sport
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. kid — child
  9. press — a publisher
  10. court — of a king
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. kid — to tease
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — hurry
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rock — music
  18. pit — in a race
  19. court — of law
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lean — thin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. press — to push

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