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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: mark · kick · prune · lean · rest · board · deal · chip

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rest — a break
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. board — to get on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — thin
  12. mark — a trace
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chip — for betting
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. kick — in football
  20. lean — to bend
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. prune — to trim

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