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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: lie · cue · wake · wave · bat · trunk · lean · mouse

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lean — thin
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. lie — an untruth

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