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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 · cabinet · staff · pass · field · mate · pit · root

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cue — a signal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. root — of a word
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — employees
  12. field — farmland
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. field — for sport
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mate — a partner
  18. field — a subject
  19. staff — employees
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. root — the cause
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cue — for pool

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