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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bass — the fish
  5. staff — employees
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bore — to tire
  21. staff — employees
  22. current — electric
  23. branch — a division
  24. bass — low music

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