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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: wave · lash · arm · stand · deal · cue · cold · mark

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cold — an illness
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cue — for pool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cold — not warm
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mark — a grade
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stand — for spectators

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