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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: hand · track · chip · kick · shower · mug · nail · bank

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. hand — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — rain
  9. track — to keep track
  10. chip — for betting
  11. kick — in football
  12. track — a song
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. shower — to wash
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mug — to rob
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hand — help
  24. bank — for money

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