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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · roll · cabinet · staff · cue · sharp

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. cue — a signal
  4. staff — employees
  5. cue — for pool
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. roll — a cake
  8. staff — employees
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cue — a hint

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