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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fall — the season
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fall — to drop
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wake — before a funeral

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