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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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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: roll · cap · cue · patient · trunk · object · cabinet · toast

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — bread
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cue — for pool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. cap — of ice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. roll — a list
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a hint
  19. object — an aim
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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