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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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Word bank
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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: calf · trunk · content · kick · dip · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. 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. bass — the fish
  2. content — happy
  3. kick — in football
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bass — low music
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. dip — to sink
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. content — the amount
  18. 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