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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: wake · present · row · pop · track · dip · wave · chair

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. row — to paddle
  3. track — a song
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. present — the time now
  10. wake — a trail
  11. row — a line
  12. chair — a leader
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — to keep track
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. track — a path
  22. present — there
  23. pop — music
  24. present — a gift

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