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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: stand · ball · branch · rest · chest · bank · kick · pitch

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chest — a box
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chest — of your body
  10. branch — a division
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ball — a great time
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bank — for money

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