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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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 a tree
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pound — a weight
  7. track — a song
  8. object — a thing
  9. rule — a law
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. charge — in control
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — electricity
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. charge — a price
  16. track — to keep track
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. track — a path
  20. object — an aim
  21. bank — for money
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. bank — for money

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