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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. band — a ring
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. band — a music group
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wind — moving air
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. snap — to click
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wake — a trail

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