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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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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: club · cap · kick · rule · calf · present · bank · ground

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — the time now
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rule — government
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bank — of a river
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bank — for money
  12. club — for golf
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. present — there
  16. club — for dancing
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. ground — a position
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rule — a law
  21. cap — a hat
  22. club — a group
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. present — a gift

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