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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: content · dip · leaves · kick · shower · cue · trunk · suit

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. shower — rain
  3. content — the amount
  4. kick — in football
  5. dip — to sink
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cue — for pool
  14. shower — to wash
  15. content — happy
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. suit — in cards
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — a signal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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