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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — in control
  6. mark — a trace
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cap — a hat
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pop — soda
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bass — the fish
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pop — to visit

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