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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. object — a thing
  8. branch — a division
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. object — an aim
  11. club — for golf
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bank — of a river
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bank — for money
  17. object — to protest
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pit — in a race
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. club — a group
  24. kick — with a leg

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