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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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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: suit · stand · tube · dip · chip · mug · bore · land

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. tube — a container
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. land — a country
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chip — to eat
  12. suit — clothes
  13. land — ground
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. suit — to fit
  21. land — to come down
  22. suit — in cards
  23. tube — the underground
  24. dip — a sauce

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