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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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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: saw · dip · mark · mouse · band · chip · pitcher · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mark — a trace
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. band — a music group
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mark — a grade
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mouse — the animal

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