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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: suit · foot · snap · march · bulb · kick · bank · cell

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bank — for money
  4. march — music
  5. cell — in biology
  6. snap — to click
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. suit — to fit
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bank — of a river
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bank — for money
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. suit — clothes
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. kick — in football

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