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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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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — to protest
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. object — an aim
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. object — a thing
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — a signal
  16. capital — money
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cell — a phone
  24. capital — a city

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