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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: staff · rush · lash · foot · court · leaves · cue · bass

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bass — low music
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cue — for pool
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rush — hurry
  9. court — for sport
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. court — of a king
  13. cue — a signal
  14. foot — a measure
  15. staff — employees
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. staff — employees
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. court — of law
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bass — the fish

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