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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 120 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: pitcher · lash · foot · rush · sharp · racket · kick · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. foot — a measure

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