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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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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. cap — a lid
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. cue — a signal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. capital — money
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — a hint
  19. capital — a city
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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