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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · bass · dip · track · pit · prune · current · bay

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. track — a path
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pit — in a race
  5. current — of water
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stand — to bear
  9. dip — to sink
  10. current — electric
  11. track — a song
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. current — happening now
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. prune — to trim
  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