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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chair — to sit on

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