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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — after costs
  3. bank — of a river
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. mug — a face
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bank — for money
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. kick — in football
  15. mug — to rob
  16. net — for catching
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. net — in sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — for light

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