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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. object — to protest
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — a thing
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. band — a ring
  10. bank — for money
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. object — an aim
  22. rush — hurry
  23. trunk — of a car
  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