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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: firm · sharp · kick · bank · mark · field · pound · pass

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. field — farmland
  5. kick — in football
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. field — for sport
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. field — a subject
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pass — a permit
  17. firm — decided
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bank — of a river
  24. mark — a trace

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