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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 120 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — to bend
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. club — for golf
  11. lean — thin
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. club — for dancing
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. club — a group
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — a tool

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