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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 · kid · degree · board · mug · cue · leaves · mate

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. kid — to tease
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cue — a hint
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. degree — from a university
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. degree — temperature
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mug — to rob
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kid — child
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mug — a face
  24. mate — a partner

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