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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: clip · lean · cue · rash · lie · pitch · mouse · wave

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. clip — for paper
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. clip — a video
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rash — a series
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. clip — to cut
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lean — thin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — for a computer

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