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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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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: cap · dip · perch · suit · snap · track · bay · present

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — to keep track
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — a gift
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — in cards
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — clothes
  13. track — a path
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cap — a hat
  16. track — a song
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cap — a lid
  20. dip — to sink
  21. present — there
  22. snap — to click
  23. cap — of ice
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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