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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. kid — to tease
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. key — the most important part
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. key — in music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wax — to grow
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bank — for money
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kid — child
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bank — of a river
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. racket — for tennis

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