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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — a company
  3. march — the month
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. march — the month
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fall — the season
  10. firm — decided
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rash — a series
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. firm — steady
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — a container
  24. march — music

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