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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: prune · band · lash · current · wave · cue · suit · object

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. current — happening now
  5. band — a music group
  6. prune — to trim
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. object — a thing
  10. suit — to fit
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cue — a signal
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. object — to protest
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cue — for pool
  22. object — an aim
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — clothes

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