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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: coach · mate · cue · cabinet · ball · fine · rush · ground

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mate — to breed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — all right
  24. ground — the earth

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