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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 116 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: mug · lash · safe · board · sharp · clip · cue · scale

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mug — a cup
  5. clip — to cut
  6. scale — in music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mug — a face
  13. clip — for paper
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cue — for pool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. clip — a video
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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