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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.

Words on the sheet
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: tube · kick · pound · bank · saw · hand · root · mug

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mug — to rob
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. hand — in cards
  5. root — of a word
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. hand — help
  9. bank — of a river
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — a container
  14. bank — for money
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. tube — the underground

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