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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. court — of law
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. court — of a king
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. swing — in golf
  10. court — for sport
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. kick — in football
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. swing — to play on
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. swing — music
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pound — a weight

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