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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: bank · foot · fan · bay · deal · pit · pass · kick

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — a permit
  23. kick — in football
  24. deal — an agreement

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