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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: dip · lash · leaves · bound · cue · season · rush · band

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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 — a hint
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rush — hurry
  8. band — a music group
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bound — certain
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. season — in sport
  13. band — a ring
  14. season — of the year
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bound — obliged
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bound — tied together
  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