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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lean — thin
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. season — of the year
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pop — to visit
  18. lean — to bend
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. date — the fruit
  23. season — in sport
  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