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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: craft · lash · staff · hand · object · cue · toast · shower

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. object — an aim
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. staff — a stick
  5. hand — help
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. object — to protest
  9. staff — employees
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. toast — bread
  12. cue — a signal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. object — a thing
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — rain
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. staff — employees
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. shower — to wash

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