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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mark — a grade
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bass — the fish
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bass — low music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hand — in cards
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. track — a song
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. face — part of the head
  23. hand — help
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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