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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. object — an aim
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. object — a thing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. saw — the tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cell — in biology
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. object — to protest
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kick — in football
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — a phone
  23. calf — of the leg
  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