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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: saw · chip · cell · pitcher · mouse · track · bay · kick

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. kick — in football
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. track — to keep track
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. track — a song
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cell — in biology
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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