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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: kick · bank · lie · bark · cue · tear

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bank — for money
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. kick — in football
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cue — a signal
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bank — for money
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bank — of a river
  18. tear — to rip

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