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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · file · game · calf · cue · pit · wax · craft

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pit — a hole
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cue — a hint
  16. file — a tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cue — for pool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. file — a document
  24. calf — of the leg

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