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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: mark · sharp · dip · pitcher · temple · cap · stock · trunk

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mark — a grade
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. dip — to sink
  9. sharp — clever
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stock — goods
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stock — shares
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pitcher — a jug

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