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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.

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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 · charge · suit · mouse · stick · game · bore · land

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — to fit
  7. game — a match
  8. land — a country
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — in cards
  14. charge — electricity
  15. dip — to sink
  16. land — ground
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. land — to come down
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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