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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
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: last · mouse · mug · cabinet · rock · foot · rash · snap

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — final
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mug — a face
  6. last — to go on
  7. mug — a cup
  8. snap — to click
  9. rash — a series
  10. mug — to rob
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rock — a stone

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