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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 116 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: stick · calf · key · ground · net · hand · lash · cue

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. key — in music
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. hand — in cards
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. cue — for pool
  13. net — in sport
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. net — after costs
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. net — for catching
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — for a lock
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cue — a signal

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