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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 124 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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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: mine · jam · mark · object · wake · bass · dip · lean

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bass — low music
  4. lean — thin
  5. object — an aim
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mine — for digging
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. object — to protest

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