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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 120 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
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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: mouse · season · cue · ground · wave · cabinet · drill · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. ground — a position
  18. cue — a hint
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — a hole

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