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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. key — the most important part
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. key — for a lock
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — to get on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. hand — help
  14. chip — to eat
  15. sharp — clever
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — in music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — for betting
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. hand — in cards

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