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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cap — a lid
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. band — a music group
  8. object — to protest
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cue — a hint
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. band — a ring
  15. ground — crushed
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ground — a position
  19. object — a thing
  20. staff — employees
  21. cap — a hat
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. object — an aim

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