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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 116 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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cue — a hint
  9. club — for golf
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — low music
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. club — a group
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. club — for dancing
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kick — in football
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — a strongbox

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