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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 · mine · mark · firm · stick · object · lie · drill

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mine — for digging
  5. dip — to sink
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. drill — the tool
  10. object — a thing
  11. firm — steady
  12. drill — army training
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — to protest
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lie — to recline
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. object — an aim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. firm — a company

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