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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: cue · pass · suit · temple · snap · field · nail · lash

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. field — farmland
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — for sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. pass — a permit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — a signal

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