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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: track · dip · bark · cap · capital · race · mark · suit

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mark — a trace
  5. capital — a city
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. capital — money
  11. track — a song
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. track — a path
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bark — to shout
  16. cap — of ice
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cap — a hat

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