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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: cabinet · cue · rule · club · temple · cap · date · mark

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cue — a hint
  5. date — the fruit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rule — a law
  8. cue — for pool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rule — government
  13. club — for dancing
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for golf
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cue — a signal
  19. club — a group
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. mark — a grade

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