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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: file · ball · cue · pop · shower · charge · cabinet · can

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cue — a signal
  5. shower — rain
  6. file — a document
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — a price
  10. pop — music
  11. file — a tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. can — to be able to
  14. charge — in control
  15. file — a line of people
  16. shower — to wash
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. can — a tin
  20. pop — soda
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ball — a round shape

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