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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. net — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. staff — employees
  6. net — after costs
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chip — for betting
  10. staff — employees
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — a stick
  17. net — for catching
  18. season — in sport
  19. file — a document
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. file — a tool
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. chip — in a computer

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