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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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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. kick — in football
  3. lean — to bend
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — thin
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. chip — for betting
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. scale — size or range
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. scale — in music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rush — hurry
  24. track — a song

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