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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: cue · pop · suit · firm · mine · cabinet · racket · file

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — steady
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a document
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pop — soda
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. suit — to fit
  9. firm — decided
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. file — a tool
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. firm — a company
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — clothes
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — for pool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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