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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
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: rest · fine · lash · current · cabinet · ball · firm · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — electric
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rest — a break
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. firm — steady
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. firm — decided
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — of water
  19. cap — of ice
  20. current — happening now
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rest — what's left

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