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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. mate — to breed
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. kick — in football
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — of a river
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lean — to bend
  20. present — there
  21. lean — thin
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  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