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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. track — a song
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chair — a leader
  12. kick — in football
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — a weight
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bank — of a river
  24. track — a path

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