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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: mark · prune · pound · pop · kick · bank · cap · bat

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bank — of a river
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pop — soda
  16. kick — in football
  17. bank — for money
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kick — a thrill

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