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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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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: rule · cold · content · rock · safe · cabinet · capital · club

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. capital — money
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cold — an illness
  5. content — happy
  6. rule — a law
  7. capital — a city
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. content — the amount
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rule — government
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rock — music
  17. cold — not warm
  18. club — a group
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. club — for dancing
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. club — for golf
  24. safe — a strongbox

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