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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — to eat
  4. band — a ring
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. charge — a price
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. band — a music group
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wake — a trail
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — clothes

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