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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: fan · bear · dip · sharp · chip · bay · rule · rush

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. dip — to sink
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rule — a law
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bear — to put up with

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