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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · dip · chip · cap · key · stand · sharp · mate

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bear — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. key — in music
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chip — to eat
  24. cap — a hat

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