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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: object · cue · kick · bark · lie · tube · deal · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. tube — a container
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cue — a hint
  7. kick — in football
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. cue — a signal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. object — an aim
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — to shout

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