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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bound — obliged
  6. lean — thin
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. root — of a word
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. net — for catching
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. net — in sport
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. kick — in football
  20. root — the cause
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. net — after costs

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