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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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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: tube · rule · foot · suit · chair · mug · club · capital

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. suit — clothes
  7. capital — a city
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rule — government
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. suit — in cards
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — a container
  14. chair — a leader
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. club — for golf
  24. capital — money

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