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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chip — for betting
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chip — to eat
  6. roll — a list
  7. object — an aim
  8. bass — low music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. saw — the tool
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — obliged
  18. object — to protest
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bound — certain
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. object — a thing
  23. roll — a cake
  24. kick — in football

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