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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hand — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. snap — to click
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. key — in music
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. key — for a lock
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. hand — help
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. key — the most important part
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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