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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: net · dip · trunk · sharp · cap · suit · race · cue

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cap — a hat
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. suit — clothes
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — a signal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. net — after costs
  21. cue — for pool
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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