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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mate · fan · saw · cue · club · bear · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mate — to breed
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — for golf
  10. mate — a friend
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. club — a group
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mate — a partner
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. club — for dancing

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