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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: cue · trunk · stem · arm · straw · deal · mouse · track

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cue — a hint
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stem — to come from
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mouse — for a computer

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