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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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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: dip · chip · season · net · ruler · temple · pound · mate

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. net — for catching
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. net — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chip — to eat
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. chip — for betting
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. net — after costs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ruler — a monarch

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