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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: bass · arm · racket · prune · kick · bear · rule · bank

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. prune — to trim
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rule — government
  9. bank — of a river
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bank — for money
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bass — the fish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bass — low music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rule — a law
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bear — the animal

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