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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: pass · mine · cabinet · staff · can · clip · present · cue

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cue — for pool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. staff — employees
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. present — there
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. clip — for paper
  14. present — the time now
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. staff — a stick
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — a gift
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mine — for digging
  23. can — a tin
  24. pass — to spend time

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