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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pop — music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — a skill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. craft — boats
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — magic
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pop — soda
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. craft — a handicraft

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