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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — to keep track
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — boats
  7. track — a path
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hand — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — a song
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. object — an aim
  19. hand — help
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. lie — to recline
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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