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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — decided
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. firm — steady
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. firm — a company
  23. mug — a face
  24. ball — a great time

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