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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mug — a cup
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. tube — a container
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mug — a face
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mark — a trace
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mug — to rob

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