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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · straw · ball · pass · prune · date · cue · tube

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. date — the fruit
  9. tube — a container
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — a permit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. tube — the underground
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cue — a hint

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