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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: cue · last · board · object · pit · cold · cabinet · row

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — a committee
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pit — a hole
  6. last — to go on
  7. cue — a signal
  8. last — final
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. last — finally
  15. object — a thing
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cold — an illness
  18. object — an aim
  19. cue — a hint
  20. row — a line
  21. board — to get on
  22. object — to protest
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cabinet — ministers

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