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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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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 · toast · cue · wake · wave · suit · wind · net

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. net — after costs
  10. suit — clothes
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wind — moving air
  14. toast — bread
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cue — a signal
  20. net — in sport
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. net — for catching

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