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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: suit · trunk · cue · can · current · fork · coach · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fork — in a road
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. suit — to fit
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. current — of water
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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