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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 · dip · cap · season · track · rest · wake · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bank — of a river
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rest — a break
  6. bank — for money
  7. season — in sport
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — a lid
  11. season — of the year
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. track — to keep track
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cap — of ice
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a song
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cap — a hat
  24. track — a path

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