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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 120 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: hand · lash · season · cue · shower · suit · firm · press

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — for pool
  6. suit — clothes
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. season — of the year
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. hand — help
  12. press — newspapers
  13. suit — to fit
  14. hand — in cards
  15. firm — steady
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. season — in sport
  20. press — to push
  21. cue — a hint
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. press — a publisher
  24. hand — part of the body

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