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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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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: bank · cabinet · present · bowl · pitcher · chip · calf · kick

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. present — the time now
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — a gift
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bank — of a river
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. present — there

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