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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. current — happening now
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cap — a lid
  13. current — of water
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — a weight
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cap — of ice
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — for dogs

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