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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: ball · rock · rush · swing · branch · cue · pound · lash

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. swing — music
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rock — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pound — a weight
  18. branch — a division
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. ball — a dance
  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