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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cue — a signal
  8. kick — in football
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. chair — a leader
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cell — a phone

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