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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: degree · game · mark · bank · can · dip · chip · bore

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mark — a trace
  3. game — a match
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — to be able to
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. chip — for betting
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bore — to drill
  18. degree — an amount
  19. game — wild animals
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — in 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