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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: bass · cap · bear · mark · object · rock · present · date

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. present — the time now
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mark — a grade
  10. object — a thing
  11. present — a gift
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rock — music
  15. cap — a hat
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mark — a trace
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. present — there
  23. date — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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