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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: present · pitcher · cabinet · rule · staff · ground · cue · mug

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ground — a position
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. staff — employees
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rule — a law
  10. present — a gift
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mug — a face
  15. present — there
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — a stick
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mug — to rob
  22. staff — employees
  23. present — the time now
  24. pitcher — a jug

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