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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. cap — of ice
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — ground
  5. lean — thin
  6. key — in music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. content — the amount
  14. land — a country
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. content — happy
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lean — to bend
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — ministers

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