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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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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: wake · temple · bear · kick · hand · cue · trunk · spell

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cue — a signal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. hand — help
  15. spell — magic
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — the animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. spell — a short time
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. spell — letters
  24. cue — a hint

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