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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: bank · saw · nail · kick · object · lean · deal · racket

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. object — an aim
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lean — to bend
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. kick — in football
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. object — a thing
  17. lean — thin
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — to handle
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. racket — for tennis

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