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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. suit — to fit
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rock — a stone
  11. scale — in music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — size or range
  15. cap — a hat
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bore — to drill
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cap — a lid
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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