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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 124 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. band — a ring
  7. bulb — for light
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. band — a music group
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. can — a tin
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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