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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.

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: rush · fall · cue · jam · key · straw · lash · face

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. key — in music
  12. face — to confront
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cue — for pool
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rush — hurry
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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