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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a lid
  13. dip — to sink
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kick — in football
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rash — a series
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. cap — a hat

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