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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pit — a hole
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wound — an injury
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kick — in football
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pass — a permit
  17. tube — a container
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. arm — part of the body

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