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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · lash · prune · march · rush · cue · deal · wound

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wound — an injury
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cue — a signal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — a hint
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. march — the month
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wound — an injury
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. march — music
  21. roll — a list
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. deal — to handle
  24. march — the month

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