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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · lie · kick · chip · club · stock · date · season

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. club — for golf
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — in sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. stock — shares
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — steady
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. club — for dancing
  20. date — the fruit
  21. club — a group
  22. season — of the year
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. kick — a thrill

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