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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: bore · prune · trunk · cue · game · mouse · plane · jam

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cue — a hint
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. game — a match
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mouse — the animal

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