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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cue — for pool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. drill — army training
  5. wound — an injury
  6. deal — to handle
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. wake — a trail
  17. drill — the tool
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. swing — music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cue — a signal

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