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

Word bank: pit · date · deal · bowl · ruler · kid · rest · kick

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kid — child
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. date — the fruit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rest — a break
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kick — in football
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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