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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. chest — a box
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. prune — to trim
  5. race — humankind
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. chest — of your body
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. race — the arms race
  14. toast — bread
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. race — a contest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pound — a weight
  24. calf — of the leg

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