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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
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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: pitcher · stand · lash · face · cue · hide · fan · club

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — to bear
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. club — for golf
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. club — a group
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cue — a hint
  24. club — for dancing

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