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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.

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: firm · capital · snap · sharp · scale · foot · lash · mug

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mug — a cup
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mug — a face
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. capital — money
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — steady
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. firm — decided
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lash — an eyelash

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