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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 · mouse · hide · chair · bass · suit · rush · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — to sink
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. game — a match
  12. bass — low music
  13. chair — a leader
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. suit — in cards
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chair — a professorship
  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