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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — not warm
  17. drill — the tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. board — to get on
  20. drill — army training
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. board — a committee
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bank — of a river

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