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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · dip · chip · arm · wake · bay · hand · current

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. current — happening now
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. current — of water
  9. hand — in cards
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wake — a trail
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mark — a grade
  17. chip — to eat
  18. dip — to sink
  19. current — electric
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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