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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: deal · cue · game · suit · wake · roll · kid · trunk

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wake — a trail
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. kid — to tease
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — child
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. cue — for pool
  17. roll — a list
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. deal — an agreement

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