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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — a lid
  4. shower — to wash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cap — a hat
  9. shower — rain
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bound — certain
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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