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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bank — of a river
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pit — in a race
  5. charge — in control
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mark — a trace
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pit — a hole
  10. kick — in football
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bank — for money
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bank — for money
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. club — for golf
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. charge — a price
  22. mark — a grade
  23. club — a group
  24. charge — electricity

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