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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: track · lash · cue · present · pit · fan · cap · net

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. track — a path
  6. present — the time now
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. present — a gift
  9. net — after costs
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — a song
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. net — in sport
  19. present — there
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cap — a lid
  24. net — for catching

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