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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cabinet · trunk · mouse · spell · charge · mate · land

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. spell — letters
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cue — a signal
  7. charge — a price
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. land — ground
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. land — to come down
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spell — magic
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. land — a country
  24. mouse — for a computer

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