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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: squash · chip · track · root · kick · lie · bank · present

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. chip — to eat
  4. present — a gift
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. present — there
  8. root — of a plant
  9. track — a song
  10. kick — in football
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bank — for money
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. root — the cause
  18. track — to keep track
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. root — of a word
  21. track — a path
  22. present — the time now
  23. squash — to crush
  24. lie — an untruth

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