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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kick — in football
  3. chip — for betting
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hand — help
  7. rock — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. branch — a division
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. chip — to eat
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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