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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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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 · current · dip · bore · mark · lean · tear

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. kick — in football
  8. cue — for pool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. current — of water
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. current — happening now
  18. mark — a grade
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. current — electric
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. dip — to dunk

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