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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 120 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: racket · root · pass · stick · kick · branch · deal · bat

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. root — the cause
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bat — the animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. deal — to handle
  12. root — of a word
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. root — of a plant
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. deal — a big deal

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