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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: court · rule · cue · capital · chair · cabinet · rush · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — a law
  5. cue — a hint
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. capital — money
  8. rush — hurry
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rule — government
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cue — for pool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. capital — a city
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. court — of a king
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cabinet — ministers

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