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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: lie · present · file · pit · bank · kick · calf · deal

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. present — there
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. file — a document
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — in football
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bank — for money
  13. present — a gift
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pit — a hole
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. file — a tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bank — of a river
  23. present — the time now
  24. lie — an untruth

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