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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ball — a great time
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. plane — a tool
  24. tube — in a tire

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