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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rest — a break
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — a series
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — music
  21. kick — in football
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rest — what's left
  24. net — for catching

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