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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: roll · lie · chip · bank · object · kick · nail · cell

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. object — a thing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cell — in biology
  9. kick — in football
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — to eat
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lie — to recline
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — for a hammer

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