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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: cell · bark · cue · cabinet · suit · lash · pitch · race

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. race — humankind
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cue — for pool
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a signal
  18. race — a contest
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cell — in biology
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — to fit

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