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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 116 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: object · branch · track · face · chip · kick · trunk · game

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. track — a path
  3. game — wild animals
  4. chip — for betting
  5. track — to keep track
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. track — a song
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. face — to point toward
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. object — a thing
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — a match
  15. object — an aim
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. branch — a division
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. object — to protest
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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