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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · scale · trunk · track · suit · cue · swing · bay

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — a hint
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. squash — to crush
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cue — a signal
  13. track — a path
  14. swing — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. scale — in music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. scale — size or range
  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