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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 116 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: snap · bank · kick · rule · spring · board · rock · pitch

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rule — government
  3. bank — of a river
  4. spring — the season
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rock — music
  7. spring — a coil
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. spring — of water
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. board — a committee
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kick — in football
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — completely
  18. snap — to click
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rule — a law
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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