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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: trunk · cue · firm · pitcher · chip · squash · bound · rest

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bound — obliged
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rest — a break
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cue — a signal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bound — certain
  10. squash — the sport
  11. chip — to eat
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. chip — for betting
  14. firm — a company
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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