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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: mouse · bark · craft · mine · mark · snap · trunk · cue

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mark — a grade
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — boats
  16. snap — to click
  17. mark — a trace
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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