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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.

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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: land · deal · fine · cabinet · rest · lash · ruler · cue

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. land — a country
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — to come down
  15. fine — all right
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cue — a signal
  19. land — ground
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ruler — a monarch

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