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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.

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: can · rash · wind · fall · cap · track · chip · mark

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rash — a series
  15. track — a path
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wind — moving air
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fall — the season
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — to pay attention

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