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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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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: snap · suit · mark · tear · cue · key · lash · wound

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. tear — to rip
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mark — a trace
  12. key — the most important part
  13. tear — from crying
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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