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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: game · spring · jam · deal · fine · cue · pitch · cabinet

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. spring — a coil
  3. fine — all right
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. spring — of water
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. game — wild animals
  12. spring — the season
  13. game — a match
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cue — for pool
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitch — completely
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — a sports field

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