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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: lash · squash · pass · toast · rush · straw · cue · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rush — hurry
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cue — a signal
  15. toast — bread
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. object — a thing
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. squash — to crush
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. object — to protest

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