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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: rule · fine · field · bound · cabinet · staff · wind · cue

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. field — for sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rule — a law
  6. field — a subject
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fine — high quality
  9. staff — a stick
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — obliged
  12. staff — employees
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fine — all right
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. field — farmland
  21. staff — employees
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bound — certain
  24. rule — government

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