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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. cue — for pool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cue — a hint
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. can — a tin
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. vault — a safe
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cue — a signal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. calf — of the leg

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