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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: kid · deal · cabinet · cue · fine · craft · toast · leaves

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. kid — to tease
  4. cue — a hint
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. kid — child
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fine — all right
  15. craft — boats
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cue — for pool
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. deal — to handle

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