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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 120 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: root · kick · chip · lash · ball · can · racket · game

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. game — a match
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chip — for betting
  14. game — wild animals
  15. root — of a word
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. root — the cause
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. kick — in football
  24. root — of a plant

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