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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bear — the animal
  4. current — electric
  5. bear — the animal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. current — happening now
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mark — a grade
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — of water
  18. pound — to hit hard

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