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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: foot · ruler · bank · pound · net · kick

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bank — for money
  5. net — for catching
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — after costs
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. net — in sport

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