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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: kick · wave · can · season · pit · chip · mine · fall

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. season — in sport
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. fall — to drop
  16. kick — in football
  17. fall — the season
  18. pit — in a race
  19. season — of the year
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pit — a hole
  24. can — to be able to

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