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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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — a face
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. dip — to sink
  8. track — a path
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. track — to keep track
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mug — a cup
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. track — a song
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. court — of a king

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