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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: wake · cue · drill · arm · bank · can · mine · lean

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bank — for money
  3. can — a tin
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lean — thin
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mine — for digging
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wake — a trail
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mine — an explosive

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