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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: bat · bound · mouse · can · bear · cabinet · season · cue

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  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. bound — certain
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cue — a signal
  4. can — a tin
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bound — obliged
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bat — the animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  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