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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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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: stand · lash · bay · squash · wave · cue · branch · file

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — a hint
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. branch — a division
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. file — a tool
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. cue — for pool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. squash — to crush
  23. file — a document
  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