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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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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: cabinet · deal · season · fork · squash · perch · cue · field

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. field — a subject
  4. deal — to handle
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cue — for pool
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — for sport
  15. season — in sport
  16. cue — a hint
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. season — of the year

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