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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.

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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — size or range
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cue — a hint
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. swing — music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. scale — in music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. swing — in golf
  24. temple — a place of worship

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