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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · calf · craft · cue · trunk · press · content · ball

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. press — a publisher
  4. content — the amount
  5. cue — for pool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. press — to push
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. content — happy
  24. trunk — of a tree

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