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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
468
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: snap · hide · can · dip · chip · stem · drill · season

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. can — a tin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — of the year
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — army training
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. snap — to click
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. can — to be able to
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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