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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. object — a thing
  3. net — in sport
  4. bank — of a river
  5. dip — to sink
  6. object — an aim
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. kick — in football
  10. rest — a break
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — what's left
  13. net — for catching
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. net — after costs
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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