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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.

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: land · date · bay · board · bear · leaves · cap · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. board — to get on
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bear — the animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. land — ground
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. board — a committee
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. leaves — to go away

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