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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: ground · hand · tear · kick · vault · mate · chip · mark

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mate — a partner
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mate — to breed
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. hand — help
  10. chip — for betting
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mark — a trace
  15. hand — in cards
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mate — a friend
  19. tear — from crying
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. kick — in football
  23. ground — a position
  24. chip — to eat

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