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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: chest · trunk · can · chip · swing · mug · dip · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mug — a face
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mug — to rob
  10. can — to be able to
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. swing — to play on
  13. chest — of your body
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. chest — a box
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mug — a cup
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stand — for spectators

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