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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. present — a gift
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — for paper
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. clip — a video
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mark — a trace

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