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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
468
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 · hand · bowl · dip · can · march · mug · mouse

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. dip — to sink
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — a face
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. can — a tin
  11. hand — help
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. can — a tin
  15. hand — in cards
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mug — a cup
  19. march — the month
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. march — music
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. can — to be able to
  24. dip — a sauce

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