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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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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: leaves · fall · last · cue · cap · cabinet · toast · roll

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cue — a hint
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fall — to drop
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. roll — a list
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. toast — bread
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. roll — a cake
  22. last — final
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fall — the season

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