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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. key — in music
  5. object — an aim
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. object — a thing
  13. content — the amount
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pit — a hole
  19. object — to protest
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. content — happy
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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