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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: bank · kick · lie · lash · stand · cabinet · sharp · mark

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a trace
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bank — of a river
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. kick — in football
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — exactly

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