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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — a group
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stock — shares
  19. lie — to recline
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. band — a ring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. band — a music group
  24. pass — to spend time

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