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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: tube · march · cabinet · bound · cue · staff · bear · pop

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. staff — employees
  5. cue — a signal
  6. tube — a container
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pop — soda
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. pop — to visit
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bound — obliged
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pop — music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — a hint
  21. march — music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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