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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · cabinet · suit · bore · cue · ball · lash · hide

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — employees
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bore — to drill
  10. staff — employees
  11. cue — for pool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a great time
  24. staff — a stick

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