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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: arm · field · cabinet · toast · cue · march · bay · rush

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. march — music
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. march — the month
  5. rush — hurry
  6. field — a subject
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. field — farmland
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. field — for sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. toast — bread
  18. march — the month
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cue — a signal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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