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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: dip · cap · bay · rock · field · cabinet · deal · pass

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. field — farmland
  3. rock — a stone
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rock — music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. field — for sport
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. deal — to handle
  18. field — a subject
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pass — to spend time

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