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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pop — to visit
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pop — music
  11. chip — for betting
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pop — soda
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bore — to tire
  18. degree — temperature
  19. branch — a division
  20. degree — from a university
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bore — to drill

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