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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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468
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: kick · nail · trunk · stick · fan · dip · calf · wake

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. kick — in football
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. kick — with a leg

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