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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cap — a lid
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. race — a contest
  5. suit — clothes
  6. sharp — clever
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. race — humankind
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bound — certain
  11. race — the arms race
  12. suit — to fit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — in cards
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. content — happy
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cap — of ice
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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