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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: chip · mouse · wake · pop · jam · snap · fan · dip

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. snap — to click
  12. pop — music
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mouse — for a computer

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