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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: pop · present · staff · lie · suit · straw · cue · wave

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. staff — a stick
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a hint
  7. present — the time now
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — a signal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. staff — employees
  15. present — there
  16. pop — music
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. present — a gift
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pop — to visit
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. lie — to recline
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — with your hand

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