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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: lash · club · game · vault · rock · branch · pit · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rock — music
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. club — for golf
  6. pit — a hole
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — a stone
  9. game — wild animals
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. kick — in football
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. club — a group
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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