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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: cell · cue · track · firm · stand · bowl · game · cabinet

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. track — to keep track
  4. cue — a hint
  5. firm — decided
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. game — wild animals
  10. firm — a company
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. game — a match
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a song
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cell — a phone
  20. track — a path
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. firm — steady
  24. cell — in biology

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