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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wound — an injury
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. present — a gift
  16. kick — in football
  17. present — the time now
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. present — there
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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