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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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 tree
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. game — a match
  8. hand — in cards
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lean — thin
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hand — help
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. game — wild animals
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. hand — part of the body

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