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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: rule · cap · trunk · cue · content · saw · lash · hand

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. saw — the tool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rule — government
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cap — a lid
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rule — a law
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cue — a signal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cue — for pool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. content — the amount
  22. cap — a hat
  23. hand — help
  24. content — happy

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