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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fall — to drop
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pop — soda
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. scale — in music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. season — of the year
  19. fall — the season
  20. pop — music
  21. season — in sport
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mark — a trace

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