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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. swing — in golf
  3. spring — of water
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. spring — a coil
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. swing — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. row — a line
  24. spring — the season

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