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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 120 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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. lean — thin
  4. hand — in cards
  5. firm — steady
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pitch — completely
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — help
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. chair — a leader
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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