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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · trunk · ruler · cue · club · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. club — for golf
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. suit — clothes
  7. club — a group
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. trunk — of a car

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