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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · lean · snap · kick · firm · bank

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. firm — a company
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lean — to bend
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bank — of a river
  14. kick — in football
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lean — thin
  17. firm — decided
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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