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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: trunk · rule · fan · lash · coach · cue · pitcher · cabinet

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cue — a signal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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