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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.

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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rock — music
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. track — to keep track
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — a path
  9. wind — moving air
  10. capital — money
  11. wind — moving air
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. capital — a city
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — a song
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cue — a hint
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wind — to turn a key

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