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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rule — a law
  4. lean — thin
  5. kick — in football
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. craft — a skill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. can — a tin
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. can — to be able to
  12. chip — for betting
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rule — government
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — clothes
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. chip — in a computer

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