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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spring — the season
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. spring — of water
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cue — a signal
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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