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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: lean · racket · fork · pit · mouse · branch · net · kick

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pit — a hole
  4. net — after costs
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — thin
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pit — in a race
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. net — in sport
  17. kick — in football
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. kick — with a leg

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