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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: wound · cue · can · pit · racket · saw · lash · straw

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cue — for pool
  4. can — a tin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — a hole
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pit — in a race
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. can — a tin
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. saw — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — a straw man

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