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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. file — a line of people
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. file — a document
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. squash — the sport

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