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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: arm · kick · lean · track · snap · chip · drill · bank

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lean — thin
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. lean — to bend
  9. drill — the tool
  10. track — a song
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. drill — army training
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. drill — a practice
  16. track — a path
  17. bank — for money
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bank — for money
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chip — to eat
  24. snap — to click

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