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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: cell · foot · squash · file · bound · cue · cap · can

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cap — a lid
  3. squash — the sport
  4. foot — a measure
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — a hat
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bound — obliged
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bound — tied together
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cell — a phone
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bound — certain
  22. squash — to crush
  23. file — a document
  24. squash — the vegetable

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