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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
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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: pop · drill · cue · fan · mine · net · cabinet · cell

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. pop — soda
  2. cue — a signal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pop — music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — for catching
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mine — for digging
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cell — a phone
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. net — after costs
  19. drill — army training
  20. net — in sport
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a hint
  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