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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 · pop · chip · saw · track · mate · calf · branch

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. mate — to breed
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pop — music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pop — soda
  7. track — a song
  8. branch — a division
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. track — a path
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. track — to keep track
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pop — to visit
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. kick — in football
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  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