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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
468
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: leaves · staff · lash · arm · racket · ball · pass · cue

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cue — a hint
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ball — a great time
  12. staff — employees
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a signal
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. staff — a stick
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a round shape

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