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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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468
Word bank
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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cue — a signal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. kid — child
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pound — to hit hard

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