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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.

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: current · rule · fine · ball · kick · branch · arm · pitch

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rule — government
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. branch — a division
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fine — all right
  17. current — of water
  18. rule — a law
  19. pitch — completely
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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