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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · leaves · mine · bear · suit · chest · cap · safe

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chest — a box
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. chest — of your body
  10. sharp — clever
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. suit — clothes
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chest — of your body

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