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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. present — the time now
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. drill — the tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. can — a tin
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. drill — army training
  15. foot — a measure
  16. drill — a practice
  17. present — a gift
  18. perch — the fish
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. present — there
  21. bat — the animal
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. can — to be able to

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