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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. scale — in music
  3. cue — for pool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. root — of a word
  10. date — the fruit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mug — to rob
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lie — to recline
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. root — the cause
  21. mug — a face
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mug — a cup
  24. date — on the calendar

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