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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 · bear · bank · dip · court · racket · land · board

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. board — to get on
  6. land — ground
  7. bank — of a river
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. court — of law
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. court — for sport
  13. land — to come down
  14. board — a committee
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. court — of a king
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. land — a country

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