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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — steady
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. vault — a safe
  10. craft — boats
  11. firm — a company
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. firm — decided
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. craft — a skill
  24. wax — for sculpting

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