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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 116 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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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 · fork · content · lash · hide · key · cap · racket

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cap — a hat
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. content — happy
  24. key — in music

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