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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 · cue · calf · press · mug · fall · mouse · game

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mug — a face
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. press — newspapers
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. press — to push

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