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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: cue · trunk · suit · swing · face · bulb · wind · mouse

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wind — moving air
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. face — to confront
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cue — for pool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. swing — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a signal
  24. face — part of the head

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