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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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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stem — to come from
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pit — a hole
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. staff — employees
  11. court — of law
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. court — of a king
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. staff — a stick
  17. saw — the tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. court — for sport
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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