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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. club — for golf
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kick — in football
  8. club — a group
  9. snap — to click
  10. chip — for betting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. can — to be able to
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. can — a tin
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. club — for dancing
  24. can — a tin

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