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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: cue · fork · date · capital · fine · swing · tube · cabinet

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. swing — to play on
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. swing — music
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — in a road
  13. capital — a city
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. tube — a container
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. capital — money
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. swing — in golf

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