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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ball — a great time
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. field — farmland
  12. cue — a signal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. field — a subject
  20. ball — a dance
  21. field — for sport
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ball — a round shape

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