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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: ball · rule · trunk · cap · arm · spell · cue · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — magic
  3. cue — a hint
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cap — a hat
  8. spell — letters
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ball — a dance
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cap — a lid
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rule — government
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rule — a law

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