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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: fall · mark · rash · lean · jam · bowl · bear · dip

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fall — to drop
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fall — the season
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — thin
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fall — to drop
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mark — a trace
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rash — a series
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mark — a grade
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lean — to bend

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