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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: hand · ruler · lash · cue · pitch · wax · degree · jam

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. degree — from a university
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. degree — temperature
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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