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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: rush · can · cue · cabinet · wound · fine · season · sharp

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cue — a hint
  3. sharp — clever
  4. can — a tin
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. season — in sport
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cue — a signal
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wound — an injury
  22. season — of the year
  23. fine — all right
  24. sharp — exactly

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