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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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Word bank
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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: mark · lean · chip · bay · suit · kick · jam · field

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. field — farmland
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. field — for sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. kick — in football
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. field — a subject
  19. mark — a trace
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lean — thin

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