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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. firm — a company
  4. mark — a grade
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cue — a signal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. firm — decided
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cue — for pool
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — steady

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