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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 120 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
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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: band · game · craft · lie · mate · dip · chip · hide

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lie — to recline
  3. game — a match
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mate — to breed
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. band — a music group
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a ring
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mate — a partner
  24. craft — boats

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