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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: saw · rash · land · march · content · cue · leaves · cabinet

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. march — music
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. saw — the tool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rash — a series
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rash — hasty
  14. saw — the tool
  15. content — the amount
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. land — a country
  19. march — the month
  20. content — happy
  21. march — the month
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cue — a hint
  24. leaves — to go away

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