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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. 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. trunk — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. can — to be able to
  12. degree — an amount
  13. rush — hurry
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — a tin
  18. craft — boats
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cue — a signal
  23. degree — temperature
  24. 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