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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: hide · mouse · chip · dip · bass · stem · rest · band

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. band — a ring
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. band — a music group
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bass — low music
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rest — a break
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stem — to come from
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — for betting

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