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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: trunk · cue · firm · pitcher · chip · squash

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. 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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chip — for betting
  6. squash — the sport
  7. firm — a company
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. firm — decided
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cue — a hint
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. squash — to crush
  18. 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