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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. squash — the sport
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mug — a cup
  13. squash — to crush
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chest — a box
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — the vegetable

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