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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.

Make a worksheet

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: roll · mark · mine · wind · dip · wake · bass · row

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mine — for digging
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — a cake
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. wake — a trail
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. roll — a list
  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