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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: kick · face · net · bulb · wind · bay · bank · fork

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — for catching
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wind — moving air
  6. face — to point toward
  7. fork — in a road
  8. net — after costs
  9. bank — for money
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. net — in sport
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. kick — in football
  24. wind — moving air

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