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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: lash · rock · toast · stem · track · bound · court · cue

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cue — for pool
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cue — a signal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. court — for sport
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bound — certain
  11. court — of law
  12. track — a song
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cue — a hint
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. court — of a king
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — music

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