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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · fall · ruler · suit · present · chair · cue · kid

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — there
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cue — for pool
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cue — a hint
  21. present — a gift
  22. kid — child
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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