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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · lash · net · fan · safe · cue · rock · mark

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. net — after costs
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. net — for catching
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — in sport
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. straw — a straw man

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