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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: cue · sharp · lash · cabinet · track · rush · rock · roll

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. track — a path
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — a song
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rush — hurry
  15. roll — a list
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cue — a signal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rock — music
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. sharp — exactly

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