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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 120 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: cell · stand · game · snap · mouse · bulb · cue · trunk

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cell — in biology
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — for light
  6. snap — to click
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cell — a phone
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. game — a match
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cue — a signal
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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