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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: foot · ruler · bank · pound · net · kick · ball · march

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — the month
  8. net — for catching
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. march — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. net — after costs
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. march — the month
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. net — in sport
  24. ball — a round shape

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