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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: rush · lash · cabinet · mug · bowl · content · court · sharp

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. court — for sport
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mug — to rob
  11. court — of a king
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. content — the amount
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. court — of law
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. mug — a face
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rush — hurry

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