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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 116 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
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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 · can · fork · cue · lash · lie · squash · hand

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. can — to be able to
  3. squash — to crush
  4. hand — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fork — in a road
  7. cue — for pool
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the sport
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. can — a tin

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