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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: suit · mouse · bound · chip · foot · key · kick · wave

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. kick — in football
  5. bound — tied together
  6. key — the most important part
  7. suit — clothes
  8. key — for a lock
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — certain
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. foot — a measure
  20. key — in music
  21. bound — obliged
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mouse — for a computer

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