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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: bark · cap · court · rash · drill · cue · pitch · cabinet

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rash — a series
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bark — to shout
  5. drill — army training
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. court — of a king
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pitch — completely
  14. court — for sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cap — a hat
  22. court — of law
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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