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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 120 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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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. court — of law
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rule — a law
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — government
  12. cell — in biology
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. cell — a phone
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. club — for golf

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