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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 116 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: drill · can · object · pop · dip · bay · hide · saw

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. drill — army training
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. object — to protest
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. object — an aim
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pop — to visit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. object — a thing
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to sink
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pop — soda

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