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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cap — a hat
  5. object — an aim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cap — of ice
  9. object — a thing
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cue — for pool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a tool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. object — to protest
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. file — a document
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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