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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.

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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: nail · bowl · lie · pound · mine · rest · kick · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. bank — for money
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rest — a break
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — for digging
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. kick — in football
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bowl — to roll
  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