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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. spring — a coil
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bank — for money
  7. spring — the season
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. spring — of water
  19. kick — in football
  20. bank — of a river
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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