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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: cue · lash · ball · fall · stick · jam · craft · row

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ball — a dance
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a signal
  6. craft — boats
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. fall — the season
  20. cue — a hint
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ball — a great time

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