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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. last — to go on
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. can — a tin
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. last — final
  10. can — to be able to
  11. track — to keep track
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. last — finally
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cue — a signal
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — a path
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. track — a song
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — to handle

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