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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bass — the fish
  3. track — a path
  4. lean — thin
  5. spell — letters
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spell — a short time
  13. track — a song
  14. rock — music
  15. spell — magic
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bass — low music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. track — to keep track

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