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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: mark · key · cap · pound · suit · hide · chair · dip

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cap — a lid
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mark — a trace
  7. key — for a lock
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — in cards
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. chair — a leader
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. key — in music
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — a grade

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