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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a signal

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