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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: cell · cabinet · mouse · prune · cue · last · hand · present

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. present — a gift
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. present — there
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. last — finally
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cell — a phone
  13. last — to go on
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. present — the time now
  20. cue — a signal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. last — final

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