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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 116 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
468
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: scale · squash · racket · root · cue · pitcher · cap · trunk

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cue — for pool
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cap — a hat
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cap — of ice
  10. squash — the sport
  11. root — of a plant
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. root — the cause
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. root — of a word
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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