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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. foot — a measure
  6. shower — to wash
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rock — a stone
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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