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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: leaves · cabinet · cue · sharp · hide · squash · club · last

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. sharp — clever
  3. club — a group
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. last — to go on
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. last — finally
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. squash — to crush
  14. cue — for pool
  15. club — for dancing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — final
  18. club — for golf
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cue — a signal
  23. squash — the sport
  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