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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 · cue · can · track · date · bear · leaves · roll

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. can — a tin
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. track — to keep track
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. can — to be able to
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. leaves — of a tree

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