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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 116 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: cue · trunk · mark · can · ball · degree · plane · perch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. degree — temperature
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — a tin
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mark — a grade
  19. degree — an amount
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mark — a trace
  22. degree — from a university
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. perch — the fish

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