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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.

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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: mug · mine · dip · rash · stem · deal · rest · chest

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chest — a box
  7. rest — a break
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. rash — a series
  10. chest — of your body
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mine — for digging
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stem — to come from
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mug — a face
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mug — to rob

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