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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. suit — in cards
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. suit — clothes
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. prune — to trim
  24. trunk — of a tree

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