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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.

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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: shower · fork · rush · rest · deal · fan · cue · trunk

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. cue — a hint
  3. shower — rain
  4. rest — a break
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fan — to cool the air

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