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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 · cap · content · date · saw · craft · dip · stem

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. dip — to sink
  4. date — the fruit
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cap — a hat
  10. track — a song
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. content — the amount
  13. track — a path
  14. craft — boats
  15. saw — the tool
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. track — to keep track
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stem — to come from
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. saw — the tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. content — happy

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