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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: chip · kick · calf · current · ball · hand · rash · temple

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ball — a great time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. current — of water
  8. hand — help
  9. ball — a dance
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — happening now
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rash — a series
  23. current — electric
  24. ball — a round shape

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