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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
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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: pass · court · cue · cap · root · cabinet · ground · spell

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pass — a permit
  4. court — of law
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spell — magic
  7. cue — a signal
  8. court — of a king
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. root — of a word
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. spell — letters
  16. ground — a position
  17. court — for sport
  18. root — the cause
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cap — a hat
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cue — for pool

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