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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 124 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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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: kid · sharp · calf · cap · pass · jam · mark · charge

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. kid — to tease
  4. charge — electricity
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cap — a lid
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. kid — child
  16. charge — a price
  17. cap — a hat
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mark — a grade

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