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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rash — a series
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cap — a lid
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ground — crushed
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ground — a position
  17. cap — a hat
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — hasty
  21. club — a group
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. club — for golf

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