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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: deal · straw · bank · rest · kick · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rest — what's left
  7. kick — in football
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bank — for money
  18. straw — a straw man

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