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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: cabinet · ball · staff · cap · fall · foot · cue · nail

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — a hint
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cue — a signal
  8. staff — employees
  9. ball — a dance
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. staff — employees
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fall — the season

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