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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: mug · court · ball · bank · pitcher · branch · mouse · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. court — of a king
  6. ball — a dance
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bank — for money
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. court — of law
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mug — a face
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bank — for money
  21. court — for sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bank — of a river

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