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

Word bank: kick · rule · key · bank · pit · fork

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — a law
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fork — in a road
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pit — in a race
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bank — for money
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. key — in music
  18. kick — in football

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