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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.

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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: deal · lean · track · dip · hand · lash · cue · bass

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. track — a song
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bass — low music
  7. track — a path
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. deal — to handle
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — the fish
  15. cue — a hint
  16. hand — in cards
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. hand — help
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lean — thin

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