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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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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: rule · tube · temple · spell · cap · cabinet · pop · can

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. cap — a lid
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rule — government
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rule — a law
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pop — soda
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. tube — a container
  20. pop — music
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. spell — a short time
  23. can — a tin
  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