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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bank — for money
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bank — of a river
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pound — a weight
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rule — a law
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. rule — government
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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