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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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 a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. land — a country
  5. drill — a practice
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. drill — the tool
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. field — a subject
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rush — hurry
  15. land — ground
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. land — to come down
  19. drill — army training
  20. field — for sport
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. field — farmland

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