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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · bear · stick · bank · sharp · cap

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.

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. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cap — a hat
  18. saw — the tool

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