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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: mouse · cell · lash · foot · cap · fine · last · roll

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. fine — all right
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — a list
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. last — to go on
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. last — finally
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cap — a lid
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. cell — in biology
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. last — final

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