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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: bear · row · track · tear · rest · cap · sharp · suit

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cap — of ice
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. track — a path
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. row — a line
  14. rest — a break
  15. track — a song
  16. tear — from crying
  17. track — to keep track
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cap — a lid
  20. row — to paddle
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. tear — from crying

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