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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 116 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: last · cue · lash · wave · fine · rule · fork · coach

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fine — all right
  7. last — final
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rule — a law
  11. last — to go on
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fork — in a road
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rule — government
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. last — finally
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cue — for pool

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