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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: coach · cap · trunk · fine · cue · band · tube · cell

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — the underground
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fine — all right
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. tube — a container
  24. cap — a hat

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