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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: bass · dip · mark · cap · ruler · track · net · wake

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. net — for catching
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mark — a trace
  12. track — a song
  13. net — after costs
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. net — in sport
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wake — before a funeral

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