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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · swing · hide · rash · rest · chip

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rest — a break
  3. rash — a series
  4. chip — for betting
  5. swing — music
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — in golf
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. chip — to eat
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rash — hasty

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