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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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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: chair · nail · rule · chest · cabinet · degree · charge · suit

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. charge — in control
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — a price
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chest — a box
  11. degree — temperature
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. chest — of your body
  16. suit — clothes
  17. degree — an amount
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chair — a leader
  21. degree — from a university
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — to fit

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