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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · scale · mate · shower · lash · last · press · rule

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rule — government
  3. shower — rain
  4. last — to go on
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. press — to push
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. press — a publisher
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. scale — in music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. last — finally
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rule — a law
  21. press — newspapers
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. last — final

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