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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 · sharp · track · pit · deal · jam · chip · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pit — in a race
  7. kick — in football
  8. track — a song
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. deal — to handle
  11. branch — a division
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. sharp — clever
  15. track — to keep track
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pit — a hole
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. track — a path
  23. chip — to eat
  24. jam — in traffic

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