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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · kick · calf · ball · fork · bank · sharp · cabinet

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a dance
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. kick — in football
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. sharp — clever
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bank — for money

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