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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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. chip — for betting
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mug — a cup
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. dip — to sink
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. band — a music group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a ring
  22. mug — a face
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — of the leg

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