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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: fine · rush · cabinet · cue · bound · stand · racket · kick

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bound — tied together
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a hint
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. kick — in football
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bound — certain
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cabinet — ministers

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