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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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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: lash · cue · swing · bat · bowl · club · wake · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cue — a signal
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. wake — a trail
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for dancing
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. club — a group
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. swing — in golf
  19. club — for golf
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cue — a hint
  22. swing — music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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