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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 116 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 · leaves · game · branch · ball · suit · chip · staff

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — to eat
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. game — wild animals
  5. kick — in football
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. staff — a stick
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. ball — a great time
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. game — a match
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — in cards
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — for betting
  23. staff — employees
  24. game — a kind of play

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