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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bore — to drill
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stock — goods
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ground — a position
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — thin
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rest — a break
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lean — to bend
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stock — shares

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