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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 116 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: lean · kick · bank · mouse · branch · net · mate · firm

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. net — for catching
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bank — for money
  9. firm — steady
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. firm — decided
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. net — in sport
  16. lean — to bend
  17. kick — in football
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. firm — a company
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. net — after costs

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