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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: pound · cue · firm · wake · lash · ball · mate · staff

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. staff — employees
  4. firm — decided
  5. ball — a great time
  6. staff — employees
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. wake — a trail
  17. firm — steady
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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