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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: mine · fine · branch · toast · kick · mark · kid · sharp

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mark — a grade
  5. toast — bread
  6. sharp — clever
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. kid — child
  10. fine — all right
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. kid — to tease
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kick — in football
  18. fine — high quality
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mine — belonging to me

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