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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: pit · cabinet · band · ground · leaves · cue · fall · mug

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mug — a face
  3. fall — to drop
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. band — a ring
  8. mug — a cup
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — crushed
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ground — a position
  22. band — a music group
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — ministers

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