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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: rash · kick · rest · can · bank · wound · club · mouse

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for golf
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — a group
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — of a river
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. can — a tin
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — a break
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kick — in football
  23. club — for dancing
  24. wound — an injury

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