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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. clip — for paper
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. clip — a video
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. clip — to cut
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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