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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pop — music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chair — a leader
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pop — soda
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — to visit
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pitcher — a jug

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