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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 · dip · stick · mouse · track · hand · firm · date

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. firm — decided
  8. hand — in cards
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. hand — help
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mouse — for a computer

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