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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: wake · season · squash · cue · ruler · trunk · firm · mate

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. squash — the sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mate — a partner
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cue — a signal
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — in sport
  16. firm — decided
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. firm — a company
  20. mate — to breed
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ruler — for measuring

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