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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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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: branch · mug · lash · suit · hand · tube · mate · cue

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mate — a partner
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cue — for pool
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — a signal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. tube — the underground
  22. branch — a division
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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