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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: saw · bear · sharp · kick · face · fall · can · capital

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. capital — money
  9. fall — the season
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. capital — a city
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bear — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — in football
  19. can — a tin
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. face — to confront
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bear — 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