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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: kick · cap · sharp · perch · saw · race · key · suit

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. key — the most important part
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cap — a hat
  8. race — humankind
  9. saw — the tool
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. sharp — clever
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cap — of ice
  22. suit — in cards
  23. kick — in football
  24. perch — for a bird

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