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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: cue · cell · ball · hide · trunk · spring · deal · degree

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. spring — the season
  4. cell — in biology
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. degree — an amount
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. ball — a great time
  13. degree — temperature
  14. spring — of water
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — a signal
  21. spring — a coil
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. deal — to handle
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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