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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. shower — rain
  10. branch — a division
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pass — a permit
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mug — a cup
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — of the leg

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