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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: lean · ground · snap · cue · staff · charge · bass · cabinet

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cue — a hint
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — the earth
  11. lean — thin
  12. cue — a signal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bass — low music
  17. staff — employees
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ground — a position
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — in control
  22. bass — the fish
  23. staff — employees
  24. bass — the instrument

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