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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: chip · ball · kick · rest · temple · object · bat · bank

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — to eat
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. object — to protest
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bank — of a river
  9. kick — in football
  10. chip — for betting
  11. object — an aim
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rest — a break
  24. bat — the animal

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