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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chip — for betting
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. band — a ring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. capital — money
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — a city
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wake — a trail
  22. chip — to eat
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. band — a music group

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