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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: dip · lash · fine · kid · wake · chip · mark · spring

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spring — of water
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. spring — a coil
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fine — high quality
  10. kid — child
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mark — a grade
  19. spring — the season
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fine — all right
  24. wake — a trail

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