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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 · fork · wax · suit · perch · chip · chest · hand

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. suit — clothes
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wax — to grow
  7. chest — a box
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chip — for betting
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. perch — the fish
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chip — to eat

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