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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: cabinet · fall · cue · staff · can · mate · pop · wax

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pop — soda
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. staff — employees
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. can — a tin
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fall — the season
  19. can — to be able to
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. cue — for pool
  23. can — a tin
  24. fall — to drop

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