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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cap — of ice
  3. chip — to eat
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bound — tied together
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bound — certain
  16. stand — to bear
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. dip — a sauce

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