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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · leaves · suit · cell · capital · cue · prune · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. mug — a face
  2. cell — in biology
  3. mug — a cup
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. suit — clothes
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mug — to rob
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. capital — a city
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — to fit
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cell — a phone
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  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