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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
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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: kid · drill · mouse · ball · sharp · staff · cap · pass

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. drill — army training
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. staff — employees
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cap — a hat
  16. staff — a stick
  17. kid — child
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. staff — employees
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mouse — the animal

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