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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: foot · fine · lash · capital · cabinet · arm · game · cue

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cue — a signal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — a hint
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fine — all right
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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