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

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. roll — a cake
  8. swing — in golf
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. swing — to play on
  11. deal — to handle
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cold — an illness
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — clothes
  18. roll — a list
  19. cue — a hint
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cold — not warm

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