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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 120 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: cue · mouse · leaves · trunk · cell · bowl · kid · key

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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 a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cell — in biology
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. key — in music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — for a lock
  22. kid — child
  23. cell — a phone
  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