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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: rash · present · cue · wave · arm · lash · ground · prune

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. rash — a series
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ground — crushed
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. present — the time now
  17. ground — a position
  18. prune — to trim
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wave — with your hand
  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