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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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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: bank · kick · date · toast · dip · lie · cabinet · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lie — to recline
  3. date — the fruit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kick — in football
  6. bank — for money
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bank — for money
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lie — an untruth

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