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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: track · mine · dip · can · net · wake · firm · object

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. track — a song
  4. wake — a trail
  5. firm — decided
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — a company
  8. can — a tin
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mine — for digging
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — a path
  18. firm — steady
  19. object — to protest
  20. net — after costs
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mine — belonging to me

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