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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: fine · cue · lean · rock · bass · bank · bark · snap

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lean — thin
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fine — all right
  5. cue — a hint
  6. snap — to click
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — low music
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bark — to shout
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cue — for pool
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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