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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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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: kick · bank · bound · mark · rash · game · net · nail

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bound — certain
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. net — for catching
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — wild animals
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. net — in sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — tied together
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mark — a grade
  22. net — after costs
  23. game — a match
  24. rash — a series

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