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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · lash · cabinet · deal · cue · last

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. last — final
  6. cue — a signal
  7. last — to go on
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cue — a hint
  18. last — finally

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