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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 · cue · date · rush · cap · ball · shower · suit

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cue — a signal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ball — a dance
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. date — the fruit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. shower — rain

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