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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: mate · suit · degree · content · squash · cue · trunk · mug

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — to crush
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mug — a cup
  8. suit — to fit
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mug — to rob
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. content — the amount
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cue — for pool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mug — a face
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. content — happy
  24. mate — a partner

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