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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · foot · bear · kick · bulb · pitcher · present · chip

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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. foot — the bottom
  4. present — there
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chip — to eat
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. kick — in football
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. track — a path
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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