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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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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: cue · lash · pop · cold · suit · object · craft · rock

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cold — not warm
  4. pop — to visit
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. craft — a skill
  8. object — an aim
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. pop — soda
  18. rock — music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pop — music
  21. object — a thing
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cold — an illness

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