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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · prune · cabinet · wave · track · capital · stand · rash

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — a path
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. track — a song
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rash — a series
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stand — to bear
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. capital — a city
  18. cue — for pool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — a signal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. capital — money
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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