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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
468
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: mug · chest · cue · trunk · mate · dip · bowl · scale

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mug — a face
  13. scale — in music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — to breed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. chest — a box
  24. scale — size or range

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