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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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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: mug · scale · ruler · trunk · last · lash · cap · cue

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cue — a signal
  9. last — finally
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. last — final
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. last — to go on
  22. scale — in music
  23. cue — a hint
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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