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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: dip · charge · straw · chip · rash · degree · suit · lie

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. suit — clothes
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rash — hasty
  13. dip — to sink
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — to fit
  16. charge — in control
  17. lie — to recline
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. chip — for betting
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. lie — an untruth

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