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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: kick · capital · bay · dip · firm · foot · net · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kick — in football
  3. dip — to sink
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. net — after costs
  10. foot — a measure
  11. branch — a division
  12. firm — steady
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. firm — a company
  15. capital — money
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. net — for catching
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. net — in sport
  22. capital — a city
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — part of the body

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