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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. craft — boats
  14. rest — a break
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cell — in biology
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cell — a phone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pass — to spend time

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