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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.

Make a worksheet

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: dip · track · scale · lie · fork · mouse · season · lash

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lie — to recline
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. season — in sport
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. scale — in music
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. season — of the year
  24. fork — a garden tool

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