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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
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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: last · track · band · hide · dip · face · mouse · cap

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. last — to go on
  3. track — to keep track
  4. band — a ring
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. track — a path
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. last — final
  12. band — a music group
  13. face — part of the head
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. last — finally
  16. track — a song
  17. face — to confront
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mouse — the animal

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