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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. object — an aim
  9. roll — a cake
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — a series
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. roll — a list
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lash — an eyelash

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