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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: dip · jam · pitcher · lie · racket · shower · track · bear

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. track — a song
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. track — a path
  21. lie — to recline
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. dip — a sauce

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