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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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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: kick · rush · lean · deal · cue · bulb · chip · fork

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — to eat
  7. kick — in football
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lean — thin
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bulb — 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