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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cue · lean · rash · pitch · arm · safe · cold · lash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cue — a hint
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cold — not warm
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lean — thin
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rash — a series
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lean — to bend
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cold — an illness
  24. arm — a part of something

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