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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: cue · chair · rash · pit · capital · vault · chest · cabinet

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. chest — a box
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — money
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rash — a series
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chest — of your body
  16. capital — a city
  17. rash — hasty
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pit — in a race
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chest — of your body

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