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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 · jam · squash · net · firm · snap · trunk · can

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. net — after costs
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. net — for catching
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. firm — steady
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. can — a tin
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. snap — to click
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. firm — decided
  18. net — in sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. firm — a company
  24. squash — the sport

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