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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · date · kid · suit · content · jam · straw · spell

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — the fruit
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. spell — magic
  11. content — happy
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. spell — a short time
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spell — letters

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