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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 120 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 · tear · leaves · mark · net · wind · cue · suit

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. tear — to rip
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. suit — in cards
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — to fit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wind — moving air
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — clothes

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