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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.

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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: pop · snap · rush · cue · trunk · ball · bat · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ball — a great time
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. firm — a company
  13. bat — the animal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — steady
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cue — a signal
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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