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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: branch · nail · chip · firm · dip · kick · track · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. firm — steady
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — a path
  5. firm — decided
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. branch — a division
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — a company
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — a song
  16. dip — to sink
  17. chip — for betting
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. track — to keep track
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chip — to eat

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