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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · craft · stick · trunk · object · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. object — a thing
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. kick — in football
  14. craft — boats
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. firm — steady
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. firm — a company

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