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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: mine · cue · suit · leaves · present · roll · rock · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cue — for pool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mine — for digging
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cue — a signal
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. cue — a hint
  12. present — the time now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. present — there
  15. suit — clothes
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rock — a stone
  24. roll — a list

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