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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: pop · chip · bear · ruler · ball · dip · roll · staff

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — the animal
  12. roll — a list
  13. dip — to sink
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pop — music
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pop — soda
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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