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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: pit · kick · saw · suit · chip · wind · face · mouse

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chip — for betting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pit — a hole
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. suit — clothes
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pit — in a race
  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