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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: deal · bank · kick · track · mug · fan · drill · prune

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kick — in football
  4. track — to keep track
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. prune — to trim
  11. track — a path
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. track — a song
  18. mug — a face
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bank — for money
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bank — for money
  24. mug — to rob

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