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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.

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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rush — hurry
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bank — for money
  6. chest — a box
  7. track — a path
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chest — of your body
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cue — for pool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cue — a hint
  19. track — a song
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — for money
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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