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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: rash · cue · spring · lie · pass · rock · fall · suit

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. spring — the season
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fall — the season
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rock — music
  20. lie — to recline
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spring — of water
  23. lie — an untruth
  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