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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 120 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: ground · foot · cabinet · rest · fan · lash · lie · craft

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ground — a position
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. craft — boats
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. foot — part of the body

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