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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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bank — for money
  4. mate — a friend
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bass — low music
  8. club — for golf
  9. rock — music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bank — for money
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. club — a group
  17. kick — in football
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a city
  24. mate — to breed

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