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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 120 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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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 · race · cabinet · staff · ground · fall · cue · deal

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fall — the season
  4. race — the arms race
  5. lean — thin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cue — a signal
  13. race — a contest
  14. staff — employees
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. lean — to bend
  18. race — humankind
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. deal — a big deal

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