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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cue — a signal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pound — a weight
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cue — for pool
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. branch — a division
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. snap — to click
  23. rock — a stone
  24. cue — a hint

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