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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 116 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. press — a publisher
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. staff — employees
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fork — to eat with

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