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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: cabinet · present · wave · capital · rock · cue · bore · file

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cue — a signal
  4. capital — money
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bore — to tire
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — a gift
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. present — there
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. file — a document
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. present — the time now
  23. rock — music
  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