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

Word bank: suit · chest · pound · cap · rock · cabinet · rule · cue

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. chest — a box
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pound — a weight
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rule — government
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rule — a law
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. cap — a lid

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