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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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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: pit · cue · trunk · race · fork · plane · mug · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — humankind
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mug — a face
  10. cue — a hint
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pit — a hole
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mug — a cup

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