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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. charge — a price
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — in control
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. game — a match
  17. prune — to trim
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. object — an aim
  24. game — wild animals

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