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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: patient · suit · cue · plane · dip · trunk · fan · toast

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cue — for pool
  4. toast — bread
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. suit — to fit
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — a signal
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — a hint
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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