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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: bear · stick · content · pound · rest · staff · bank · kick

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — employees
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. content — happy
  11. bear — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — what's left
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. content — the amount
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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