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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: hand · fall · cue · mark · pop · bass · dip · bear

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pop — music
  5. bass — low music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fall — the season
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cue — for pool

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