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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: trunk · chest · cue · ball · lash · bear · mouse · prune

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. cue — for pool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bear — the animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a dance
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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