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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · band · mark · bay · deal · rest

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rest — what's left
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mark — a trace
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a grade
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rest — a break
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rest — what's left

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