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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. staff — employees
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rush — hurry
  14. club — for golf
  15. pound — a weight
  16. staff — employees
  17. mug — to rob
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. club — for dancing
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mug — a face

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