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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cue — a signal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cue — for pool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rock — music

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