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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: trunk · face · prune · cap · cue · vault · pop · mug

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mug — a face
  5. pop — to visit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. vault — a safe
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. face — to confront
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mug — to rob
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. face — part of the head
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cap — a lid
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cue — a hint

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