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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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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: kick · stem · ball · temple · bark · foot · mug · bank

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kick — in football
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stem — to come from
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bark — to shout
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mug — a face
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stem — of a plant

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