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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. band — a ring
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. tube — the underground
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. tube — a container
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bulb — for light
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a music group
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — to sink

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