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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 116 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: ground · present · bowl · season · cue · rock · rash · cabinet

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. season — in sport
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. present — there
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cue — a signal
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — a position
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rash — a series
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. bowl — a football 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