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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: object · kick · chip · foot · cap · ball · current · pound

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. object — an aim
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. object — to protest
  5. current — happening now
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. current — electric
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — a thing
  18. current — of water
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kick — in football

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