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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. kick — in football
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. court — of a king
  5. last — finally
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. last — to go on
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. last — final
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fork — in a road
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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