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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 · bear · ball · tube · track · rash · drill · face

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. face — to point toward
  6. track — a path
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — a series
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. track — a song
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ball — a great time
  13. drill — a practice
  14. face — to confront
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rash — hasty
  18. face — part of the head
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. drill — army training

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