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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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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: ruler · lash · lie · coach · cue · chest · last · cabinet

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — a hint
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — final
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. last — to go on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. last — finally

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