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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
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: rule · trunk · cabinet · file · cue · object · chest · ground

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. cue — a hint
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. file — a line of people
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ground — the earth
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. object — an aim
  12. ground — a position
  13. rule — a law
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. file — a tool
  16. object — to protest
  17. rule — government
  18. file — a document
  19. object — a thing
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chest — of your body

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