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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: pound · safe · bowl · leaves · kick · hand · ball · bank

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — a weight
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hand — help
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. leaves — to go away

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