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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: pit · net · rule · mate · bank · kick

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pit — in a race
  3. net — after costs
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — government
  6. net — for catching
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bank — for money
  9. net — in sport
  10. rule — a law
  11. mate — a partner
  12. kick — in football
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pit — a hole
  18. kick — a thrill

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