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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: fall · mouse · race · mark · chip · rush · dip · lean

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fall — the season
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lean — to bend
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lean — thin
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. race — humankind
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. race — a contest
  23. mark — a grade
  24. dip — a sauce

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