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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rule — government
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — a signal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. content — the amount
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. fall — the season
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rule — a law
  17. content — happy
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cue — a hint
  22. perch — the fish
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. trunk — of a tree

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