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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 120 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: cabinet · leaves · ruler · cap · sharp · clip · content · bore

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cap — of ice
  5. clip — a video
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bore — to tire
  8. content — happy
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. clip — for paper
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bore — to drill
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. content — the amount
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ruler — a monarch

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