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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: lash · hand · cue · patient · kick · tube · ball · coach

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cue — a hint
  6. hand — in cards
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. hand — help
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. tube — the underground
  17. kick — in football
  18. cue — a signal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. coach — a trainer

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