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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: ball · lash · rush · can · present · bat · fine · cabinet

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. present — a gift
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — a tin
  14. present — there
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. present — the time now
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — in an idiom

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