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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 116 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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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: mine · row · leaves · cap · bass · face · rock · mark

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. row — to paddle
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cap — a lid
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rock — a stone
  13. row — a line
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. face — to confront
  23. cap — of ice
  24. face — to point toward

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