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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 120 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 · bank · rash · cue · cabinet · mate · court · track

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. track — a path
  8. mate — a friend
  9. track — a song
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bank — for money
  12. court — for sport
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bank — for money
  15. court — of a king
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mate — to breed
  18. court — of law
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bank — of a river
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rash — on the skin

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