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

Word bank: bank · kick · spell · drill · stick · bowl

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — letters
  11. bank — for money
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bank — for money
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spell — magic
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. drill — army training

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