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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: tear · chip · key · track · kick · plane · leaves · bank

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. track — a path
  6. key — for a lock
  7. tear — to rip
  8. chip — for betting
  9. key — in music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bank — of a river
  13. track — to keep track
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. track — a song
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chip — to eat
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. plane — a tool
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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