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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
468
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: wound · cabinet · mine · cap · craft · cue · deal · tube

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. craft — boats
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cue — for pool
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cue — a signal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wound — an injury
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cap — of ice
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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