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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 120 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: deal · cabinet · fall · rash · lie · court · cue · lean

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rash — a series
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. fall — the season
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — of law
  11. rash — hasty
  12. deal — to handle
  13. court — for sport
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cue — a signal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. court — of a king
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  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