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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mark — a trace
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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