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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. current — electric
  5. cap — of ice
  6. current — of water
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cap — a hat
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — happening now
  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