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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · prune · bark · bank · cue · rash · sharp · kick

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bark — to shout
  3. kick — in football
  4. bank — for money
  5. prune — to trim
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. prune — to trim
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cue — for pool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kick — with a leg

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