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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.

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: pass · pop · bat · fall · cabinet · cue · suit · cold

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pop — soda
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pop — music
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fall — the season
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cold — an illness
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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