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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: cabinet · lash · clip · date · lie · cap · track · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — a path
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. staff — employees
  8. lie — to recline
  9. track — a song
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. clip — for paper
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. clip — to cut
  17. track — to keep track
  18. clip — a video
  19. date — the fruit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. staff — employees
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. date — on the calendar

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