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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · bank · lash · lie · coach · cue · pop · stick

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bank — for money
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bank — for money
  19. cue — for pool
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lie — an untruth

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