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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.

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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — a measure
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. current — electric
  7. last — final
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. current — of water
  17. kick — in football
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. last — finally
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. vault — a safe
  23. last — to go on
  24. bank — of a river

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