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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: last · lean · dip · mine · mug · chip · object · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mug — a face
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. chip — to eat
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mine — for digging
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. mug — a cup
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. object — an aim
  14. last — final
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mug — to rob
  19. last — to go on
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — to recline
  22. last — finally
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. lean — to rest against

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