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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: bat · suit · wave · rest · cabinet · pop · tube · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rest — a break
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pop — soda
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — to visit
  16. staff — employees
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. pop — music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wave — with your hand
  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