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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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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: trunk · bank · cue · spell · lash · fork · racket · mug

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. spell — magic
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. spell — letters
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mug — a face
  23. fork — in a road
  24. trunk — of a car

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