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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.

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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: ruler · date · lash · race · last · cue · kick · ball

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. race — a contest
  6. last — to go on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. race — humankind
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. race — the arms race
  16. kick — in football
  17. last — finally
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. last — final

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