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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wake — a trail
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — to drill

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