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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: tube · rule · mouse · perch · pit · dip · stick · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pit — a hole
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tube — a container
  9. rule — government
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rule — a law
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. dip — a sauce

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