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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: charge · bulb · chip · wound · rush · craft · dip · mouse

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. charge — in control
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chip — to eat

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