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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: lean · present · coach · mark · bay · chip · trunk · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mark — a trace
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. present — the time now
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. present — there
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lean — thin
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. trunk — of a tree

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