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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
468
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: bat · shower · cue · arm · ball · lash · fine · cabinet

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ball — a dance
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — a hint
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cue — a signal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fine — all right
  23. shower — to wash
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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