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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — for pool
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. cue — a signal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal

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