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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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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: track · spell · mouse · band · squash · sharp · object · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spell — a short time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. squash — the sport
  6. spell — magic
  7. band — a music group
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. object — to protest
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. track — a path
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. squash — to crush
  16. spell — letters
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a song
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. sharp — clever
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. dip — to sink

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