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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.

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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. chip — for betting
  3. dip — to sink
  4. chest — a box
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. net — after costs
  7. mug — a face
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. net — for catching
  10. mug — a cup
  11. land — a country
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. land — to come down
  15. chest — of your body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. land — ground
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mug — to rob

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