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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rush — hurry
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rush — a thrill

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