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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fall — the season
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pop — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fall — to drop
  16. tube — a container
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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