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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pitch — completely
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bank — of a river
  6. kick — in football
  7. bank — for money
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — the most important part
  10. charge — electricity
  11. roll — a list
  12. charge — a price
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. present — the time now
  18. roll — a cake
  19. key — in music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — there

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