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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: lash · pit · rash · content · rest · cabinet · stand · saw

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. content — the amount
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rest — a break
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rash — a series
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. content — happy
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stand — to bear
  22. saw — the tool
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stand — on your feet

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