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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: bank · racket · kick · perch · net · bore · fine · tear

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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. tear — from crying
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. net — in sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — for catching
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kick — in football
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bank — of a river
  22. net — after costs
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. tear — to rip

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