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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 116 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: field · mark · pitch · fan · bore · can · cue · cabinet

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. field — a subject
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. can — to be able to
  18. field — for sport
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. field — farmland
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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