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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: mine · cabinet · dip · pass · march · staff · sharp · cue

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pass — a permit
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. staff — a stick
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cue — a hint
  16. staff — employees
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mine — for digging
  19. march — music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. staff — employees

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