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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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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: land · clip · pop · suit · dip · pass · wake · fan

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. land — ground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pop — to visit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. suit — in cards
  10. clip — for paper
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wake — a trail
  13. clip — to cut
  14. pass — a permit
  15. land — a country
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. land — to come down
  18. clip — a video
  19. pop — music
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pop — soda
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — clothes

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