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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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — for money
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bank — for money
  11. clip — for paper
  12. firm — decided
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. firm — steady
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. firm — a company
  18. kick — in football
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. clip — a video
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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