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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: mark · key · cap · leaves · pound · saw · can · sharp

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. key — the most important part
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pound — a weight
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mark — a trace
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — a lid
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. saw — the tool
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cap — a hat

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