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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: dip · last · ball · land · saw · current · bay · chip

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. last — final
  7. dip — to sink
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. current — electric
  12. last — finally
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. current — of water
  16. chip — for betting
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. current — happening now
  21. land — ground
  22. last — to go on
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bay — a horse colour

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