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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: cap · spell · pass · sharp · tube · file · court · snap

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. tube — a container
  5. file — a tool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. court — for sport
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. file — a document
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cap — a hat
  14. file — a line of people
  15. court — of a king
  16. cap — a lid
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pass — a permit
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cap — of ice
  22. court — of law
  23. spell — letters
  24. snap — to click

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