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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: date · calf · pit · foot · trunk · kid · wake · rock

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. date — the fruit
  16. kid — child
  17. rock — music
  18. pit — a hole
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — in a race
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. kid — to tease

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