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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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — for digging
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. net — in sport
  13. kick — in football
  14. bank — for money
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pound — a weight
  17. net — for catching
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. net — after costs
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mouse — the animal

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