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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cue — for pool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. drill — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — to fit
  18. drill — army training
  19. cue — a signal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fall — to drop
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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