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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. dip — to sink
  5. object — a thing
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pop — soda
  9. rush — hurry
  10. land — to come down
  11. pop — music
  12. object — to protest
  13. land — ground
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — an aim
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bank — for money
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. land — a country
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pop — to visit

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