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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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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: leaves · cap · track · branch · shower · suit · lash · cue

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. shower — to wash
  3. cap — a hat
  4. track — a path
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — to fit
  7. track — a song
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cap — a lid
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. track — to keep track
  15. branch — a division
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cue — for pool
  21. shower — rain
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — a hint

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