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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chip — for betting
  4. kick — in football
  5. spring — the season
  6. track — a path
  7. branch — a division
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. spring — of water
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. track — a song
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chip — to eat
  19. spring — a coil
  20. track — to keep track
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. branch — of a tree

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