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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fall — to drop
  4. charge — a price
  5. fall — the season
  6. charge — electricity
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mark — a trace
  9. drill — the tool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. charge — in control
  12. mark — a grade
  13. drill — army training
  14. present — there
  15. track — a song
  16. present — the time now
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cap — a lid
  21. track — a path
  22. present — a gift
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cap — a hat

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