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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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Word bank
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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 · foot · bowl · branch · trunk · can · bound · tear

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. branch — a division
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bound — tied together
  5. tear — to rip
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bound — certain
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. can — to be able to
  12. tear — from crying
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. tear — from crying
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kick — in football
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bowl — a dish

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