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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · can · field · mark · safe · wave · season · stick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. field — for sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. field — farmland
  16. dip — to sink
  17. season — in sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. field — a subject
  21. mark — a grade
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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