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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 120 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: rest · suit · lash · pitch · cue · cabinet · tube · lie

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rest — a break
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cue — a signal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rest — what's left

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