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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: lash · branch · cold · pass · chip · season · suit · cue

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. cold — not warm
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. season — in sport
  7. chip — for betting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chip — to eat
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. season — of the year

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