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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: bore · lie · kid · deal · band · rush · leaves · safe

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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. kid — to tease
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lie — to recline
  14. band — a ring
  15. rush — hurry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a music group
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. leaves — to go away

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