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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cap — of ice
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cap — a hat
  5. track — a song
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. track — a path
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mark — a trace
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. branch — a division
  23. dip — a sauce
  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