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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: cue · chair · hide · leaves · bowl · rule · trunk · mug

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rule — a law
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — government
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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