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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
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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: cap · dip · perch · racket · band · face · bound · leaves

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. cap — of ice
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — obliged
  6. band — a ring
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. dip — to sink
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cap — a hat
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. face — to confront
  14. bound — certain
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bound — tied together
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. band — a music group
  23. cap — a lid
  24. racket — for tennis

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