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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. tube — the underground
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — for betting
  6. charge — in control
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rash — hasty
  12. tube — a container
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rock — music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rash — a series
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. charge — a price

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