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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 · suit · can · squash · race · shower · content · cue

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. race — humankind
  3. shower — to wash
  4. suit — in cards
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. squash — the sport
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cue — for pool
  10. shower — rain
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — happy
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. cue — a signal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. squash — to crush

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