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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cap — of ice
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. track — a path
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. face — to confront
  16. track — a song
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mark — a trace
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cap — a lid

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