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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. squash — the sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. band — a music group
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fork — in a road
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — clothes
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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