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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 116 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: cue · stick · bowl · bank · lean · net · deal · trunk

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — for catching
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. net — after costs
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cue — a signal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lean — thin
  13. bank — of a river
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — for money
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — in sport
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. trunk — of a car

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