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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.

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: pop · cue · bank · lean · lie · can · fork · band

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pop — to visit
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pop — soda
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lean — thin
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — music
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — in a road
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — to bend
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. bank — for money

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